I do not own the Inheritance Cycle.
Edited 1/30/22 - all chapters are getting a overhaul. Things might not match until this process is complete

Enjoy,


Journey

Part 6

The next two weeks fell into a pattern- enough that Selena started to feel comfort. There were no unexpected stumbles or turns or pitfalls, no fights or betrayals or nightmares made flesh, or no news. Most mornings she spent with Brom. Sometimes they would talk, but never about what caused them to split, it seem a forbidden subject and quite frankly neither felt up to sorting through the hurtful words and reasons. And so they left be, swept as far into the corners of their minds as possible and ignored it, but it was still there and sometimes they fell in suddenly silence before hastily changing the subject. Late mornings until dinner Selena found herself sitting at the table writing working on a report while Brom was gone poring over work of his own, and in the evenings- when Brom was around- she spent time introducing him to the people she had met over the years, and when he was not, which was often, she went out collecting word of what has transpired over the last months. None it was good.

It was the small things that made writing the report such a vast task. She was not eager to relive the last months, nor was she willing to allow Ajihad to know everything she had learned. This caused her sit for many hours on end, looking at the parchment. She knew that the Varden leader would ask for more, for more information about the castle and the generals, about her daughter and son and the dragons. Also she knew what she wanted to say to him- to tell him to worry after his own family and leave hers well enough alone. She knew as well how he would take those words- not very well at all.

Rose and Eragon and the dragons were the hope that Varden needed to rise fully against Galbatorix. Eragon would without a doubt but Rose… Someone had done everything they could to make that girl hate her heritage- to fear it. And Selena hadn't the faintest idea, not even now, how she would react to the role the Varden expected her take, who they expected her become. "This won't end well," she breathed.

Often when her thoughts took this turn, she would decide that she needed a break, and quickly leave the house to find someone, anything that would distract her. The first few times had gone to Herb's home but no one was ever there and after a few minutes of waiting she realized that she had not really wanted to see him anyhow. No longer sure what she wanted, she would wonder through the abandoned parts of Tronjheim, jogging the length of a hall before walking back down it and taking another corner. Selena wasn't sure quite how long she continued to do this, only that she was certain she would have never found her way back had she not mark the halls she had taken. The dwarves would be displeased when they discovered the symbols she carved into the walls, but she was be more so, if she ended up died. She had heard many stories of humans and other creatures dying in these tunnels from being lost without food or water, that she had made it a habit to mark her path even if she was sure she wouldn't lose her way.

There was something about Tronjheim that made her restless, made her wonder these halls until she could go no further, made her mind think of things she would not otherwise. She had been convinced upon leaving for Urû'baen that she would be content enough to put an end to these wonderings, but that seemed not be the case. It was almost like she was searching… searching for, what? She hadn't the faintest idea. She wished that someone would tell her. She wished that these damned halls were not easy to get lost in, it made it easy for it to become an addiction.

She did not tell Brom of this, of course. She allowed him to have his own thoughts of what she was doing, it was easier to allow him these thoughts so long as he did not know how lost she still felt after all these years of searching she had yet to find anything.

It was a surprise on the sixth morning of their stay that Brom was finally successful at scrying the children. As soon as the mistiness in the water cleared and a boy with a mop of chestnut colored hair was seen seated between two dragons. He called Selena over from where she sat. She loudly stood from the table and nearly ran to the divan to look over Brom's shoulder into the water.

"Do you know where they are?" she asked, after a long moment of staring at the scene.

"No," said Brom. "Though supposedly I've seen it."

Selena nodded, and continued to stare at the grassland and dragons and Eragon, drinking in every detail, until the boy's head turned and the scene turned pitch and disappeared. She knew what had happened, that Brom hadn't released the spell but rather that her daughter had entered the scene. What she did not know was how many times over the past week that she had cursed giving Rose that necklace. Many years ago it had been a gift from Brom, 'to keep her from spying eyes,' he had said but it was more than that- people who were supposed to be dead could not be scried. His intentions had been to protect her, and only a few number of days later she had sent him away- she had wondered over that decision many times, knowing it had been a mistake without the knowledge of how, nor the willingness, to correct it. So much had changed since then. Brom had changed, and so had she. Selena wondered if they could ever slip back into their easy relationship or whether their time apart had destroyed it.

She sighed and moved away. But Brom kept his gaze at the empty bowl as he asked, "What have you been working on?"

"A report," Selena said simply. "It used to be that all I had to do was say what happened and someone else would write it down, but now Ajihad likes for most words to be left unsaid. Had I remembered how much work it took to be here I wouldn't have come back. I'm contemplating the idea of finding another reason to leave for a few days."

Brom laughed lowly. "All you could talk about is getting here."

"We should have taken our time," she countered. "I would have liked to have traveled through Lithgow. They have a good market there. And perhaps have traveled along the Ridge, there's an underground waterfall that do not believe you have seen."

Shaking his head, Brom stood up and looked at her. "I'm going to walk down to the training grounds. I've been wanting to see what Ajihad has as far as militia is concerned."

"Not much worth mentioning," Selena huffed. "Would you like some company?"

"No." Brom turned towards the door. "Finish your report, I'll be back before too long."

"You're lucky Ajihad is too pleased at merely having you here to give you work to do."

"Once the kids come," drawled Brom, "I'll have more than enough to keep me busy."

Selena nodded, resisting the urge to give him a sour look. She knew that his words were true. Once the dragons and Eragon and Rose came here she doubted that she would get to see much of any of them but she would make an effort to try. With a nod of her head she returned to the table and stared at the words, harsh and black against the pale parchment.

She did not write a word that day.

It was well over a week before Selena turned in the report to Ajihad, by his insistence. She watched him carefully as he read over the report- she was second guessing what she had written. They sat in his apartments, away from prying ears and eyes. His rooms were not much different from his office, floors below; row upon rows of book lined the walls, many of which were heavily covered in dust. A dyed rug sat in the middle of the room, a divan and chairs seated around it, and a small, squat fireplace in the far corner. In the many times Selena had sat in this room she had never seen a fire dance in its belly. As Ajihad looked up and studied the empty hearth, she said, "You want to tell why you look like you're about to be ill?"

"You know everything that has been written on this parchment, so it's easy to guess why," Ajihad said from his armchair, his jaw clenched. "I do not quite gasp what your daughter's role in things, Ailis. You do not think that she will fight for the Varden or for the Empire, then for what? The greater good?"

"No," said Selena, her face dark. She hadn't wanted to say a thing on her children but had decided that it would be best to give him a warning. As subtle as it might have been, she knew how his mind worked, and that he read much more than she had written. "I do not believe that she will fight at all, on either side. She wishes to remain neutral, I think, until she knows for a fact exactly what she is choosing. And all the good and all the bad that will come from it. She had a life in the Empire and I do not believe that she left all of it behind."

"No taste for blood?"

"None."

Ajihad nodded, and looked back down at the parchment. "That may not be a bad thing," he muttered. "Your son though?"

Selena narrowed her eyes at him. She did not wish to talk about this but she knew he would have to know, it would make a difference in her children's' safety. "Eragon is very much like his father."

Again, Ajihad nodded. "I would still feel safer if they were examined upon coming here," he said.

"Brom already gave you his word that you could trust them," she said tautly. "There is no need for your magicians to come near them." I don't trust them, she thought to add but did not. Selena didn't trust most people but those with the ability to use the words of power she trusted less or not at all. The Ancient Language was a heady thing, she knew what it could do to people.

For a very long time they were silent, watching each other, waiting to see who would break the silence first. After a few moments, Selena began tapping her fingers along the side of the chair, hoping that if anything it would annoy the man before her. She liked Ajihad and his quiet intelligence but she found that he was slow to act and far too rigorous, perhaps even too reluctant.

"Is there anything more that you would like to add?" he asked, glaring at her fingers.

She grinned at him. "No."

He rerolled the parchment and unfold his hands and then said, "How is Brom fairing? Is his injury still troubling him?"

"Yes," she said, easily siding from one role to the next- her finger tapping stopped. This was the Ajihad she preferred to talk to, the one she saw a glimpse of a friendship in. "He refuses to see a healer or let me look at it. He's being a…" she trailed off angrily and looked away. "I am worried that if it remains untreated that it shall never heal properly. He says that it will but I know him well to know when he's hiding his pain. It worries me."

"I'll talk to him," he vowed.

"I'd would rather you drug him with a sleeping tonic and force a healer on him," she said darkly. "That will work where talking to him… you might as well be try to convince a dwarf to fly."

Ajihad's lips twitched but his face remain neutral. "It's worth a try."

"I wish you the best of luck."

"We shall speak again soon, Ailis," he said, "but for now I have to return to my office."

Selena stood up, knowing that she had been dismissed, and quietly took her leave. Pulling the door shut behind her, she turned to a girl standing idly in the short hallway. She had known for quite some time that she had been there, listening and observing, trying to find out what she could. "You do not have to listen at doorways, Nasuada," Selena said. "If there is something you want to know you merely have to ask."

Nasuada looked up at her, her dark eyes innocent. "I know not what you mean. I have only just gotten back from have tea with Rena," she said softly.

Selena didn't believe that for a second, and she had the feeling that Nasuada knew it, too.

"Very well, if you say so. I shall see you another time, then," Selena said, raising an eyebrow at her. She began to walk towards the door without any real propose, not knowing what she had planned for the remainder of the day- when she left, Brom had been asleep…

"Ailis, wait!"

She froze, and blinked, before turning around to the girl. "Yes?"

"I only thought that you ought to know," said Nasuada with a small smile, "that word has been received from the outposts that two dragons have been seen near the entrance of the Pocket."

Selena nodded tensely. "Did this message say how far away they were?"

"It was received last night and by then it was a day old," the girl said. "By now I would say that they are close."

"Thank you," said Selena turning away. She quickly walked towards her apartment, ignoring the people she passed, and found Brom sitting in the foot of the staircase, holding a missive. He looked up at her as she hurried towards him, his eyes wide. She understood a hundred thing in that single glance, and found herself saying, "I know. Let's go."

"They could still be hours away," said Brom, but he stood up and hurried towards her regardless.

She didn't look at him. "Did you try scrying them?"

Brom huffed. Of course I did, he seemed to say. Each morning and evening, as if it were devotion, Brom had scried Eragon or Saphira or Thorn, and even once he had tried to scry Rose in hopes that she might have taken the charm off, but they saw nothing more of them. It was not enough to see, only once, that they were alive and well but not to know what they were doing or where they were, and that was many days ago. So many things could have changed, could have altered and being so far south and in such an isolated place it would take a very, very long time for word to reach them.

"Where were you?" he said instead.

Selena sighed. "I had a meeting with Ajihad," she said. "He had asked last night that I turn in my report in the morning- Oh!"

Brom looked at her questioningly but said nothing, drawing the same conclusion she had.

Ajihad had known that they were nearly here. It was very likely that he had scheduled that meeting so that he could ask final question, glean last minute information of her children. A part of her was not surprised, not even angry because later, after she had seen that her children were safe and unharmed she would go and confront him- allow herself to be annoyed by his act.

When they reached the entrance, the guards- a mixture of humans and dwarves- seemed to know that they were coming. Each nodded at them as they lowered the gates and allowed them outside, sunlight and sweet air shuffled down on them. A breeze hit them suddenly and Selena realized just how much her body ached for the warmth of sunlight. She walked outside and allowed it to wash over her, allowing herself to relax though more than slightly blinded.

"I'm going to kill them," she said as her eyes began to adjust.

He nodded in agreement, silently vowing the very same, but remained silently looking up the sky.

They relaxed there as if they were having a panic under the blue heavens, mind that it was one that severely lacked food, and watched the two dragons fly towards them. Flying their children home.

Selena breathed out slowly as she were exhaling all her troubles. She felt, for the first time in a long time, completely at peace.

It was the unpretentiousness of the moment, where nothing in their past mattered; the arguments, the time spent apart, the difference between them, or the hurt that pulsed still behind every moment like a bruise- because there was still an understanding that could not be destroyed by these things.

If time had changed Brom, as she knew it had, Selena found that she was blinded to it, at least, at that moment. He was different than he was years ago but it certainly was not in a bad thing. It reminded her of how cuts were healed, however scarred they might be, no longer stinging even though she knew they were there, they no longer troubled her.

Time would heal these wounds someday too, Selena knew this now. All they needed to do was give it a chance.

.

End.